Kids and Education

Automation Alley partners in education program to create 3,000 defense jobs

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March 11, 2010

Automation Alley is helping Metro Detroit capitalize on its re-emerging defense sector by spearheading a new education program that promises to create a retooled local workforce in the defense industry.The Southeast Michigan Educational Partnership Program is a collaboration between the Oakland County Technology Business Association, the Defense Acquisition University, and a number of local colleges, universities, and area defense organizations. It's focusing on college students, disabled veterans, and unemployed workers. It's expected to help create 3,000 new jobs in southeast Michigan over the next five years."The graduates will be able to apply for jobs at defense contractors, the Dept of Defense, and other federal agencies across the U.S.," says Carl Hayden, associate dean of academics for the Midwest Region of the Defense Acquisition University.It will specialize in technical areas, such as contracting; life cycle logistics, systems planning, R&D, and financial management, among many others. For information, contact Automation Alley’s Resource Center at (800) 427-5100 or info@automationalley.com. Source: Automation Alley and Carl Hayden, associate dean of academics for the Midwest Region of the Defense Acquisition UniversityWriter: Jon Zemke

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U-M’s North Quad construction heads into home stretch

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Development News

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March 11, 2010

The finishing touches are going on the University of Michigan's first new dorm in decades, North Quad, so it can open to students this fall.Excerpt:In case you haven't noticed the big, brick building taking shape on the north side of the University of Michigan's Central Campus, North Quad is heading into the final stages of construction."We're really in the finishing mode," says Sue Gott, planner for the University of Michigan. "All of the interior walls and structures are in place."Read the rest of the story here.

Troy’s ilumisys sets sights on expansion of LED market

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Arts and Culture

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March 11, 2010

Troy-based ilumisys sees some big future gains for its lighting products, especially the growing LED market.The subsidiary of Altair Engineering expects to hire as many as 200 people over the next five years as the LED light movement gains traction. LED lights are the ultra-energy-efficient lights that are seen as the next generation of lighting and eventual replacement of fluorescent tube lights, like CFLs."It can safely be assumed that LEDs can take 10 percent of the fluorescent tube market," says David Simon, president of ilumisys. "That becomes a very large number."That market checks in at about $XXX, and LEDs are seen as the primary successor to it. So much so that ilumisys is increasingly drawing on its parent company's resources to meet its demand, stepping up its research and development efforts by 50 percent in 2009. "Many, many people from Altair Engineering contribute to ilumisys," Simon says. "This is one of the advantages of being part of a global company."Source: David Simon, president of ilumisysWriter: Jon Zemke

Dearborn evaluates sustainability program options

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Arts and Culture

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March 11, 2010

The city of Dearborn is looking at taking on a number of green initiatives ranging from enhanced recycling to LED streetlights and has six figures worth of federal grant money to get it started.The city received a $250,000 federal grant (thank you federal stimulus package) last year to determine the feasibility for a number of green initiatives. Those options include possibly establishing a waste-to-energy plant in the city, going to single-stream recycling, and installing LED streetlights.Only a small part of that $250,000 grant has been used. That grant is also the first part of a $970,800 grant to help implement some of these green initiatives and create a sustainability position in the city.The waste-to-energy plant isn't your normal dirty Detroit-style incinerator. Dearborn is looking at a gasification plans that doesn't actually burn the refuse. The city is also looking at an anerobic digestor for its sludge waste.Installing 300-350 LED streetlights in its neighborhoods is another option. LED streetlights, which use a fraction of the electricity and last longer than incandescent light bulbs, are the green cause de jour. Ann Arbor has grabbed numerous headlines with its efforts to install these lights throughout its downtown. Pontiac has also installed LEDs, and a number of other cities such as Ferndale, Wyandotte, and Detroit have toyed with the idea.Dearborn is also planning to switch to single-stream recycling. That is where recyclers put all of their recycling into one container (no more sorting) and the city sorts it at the recycling plant."The money could be used to buy the recycling cars," says David Norwood, sustainability coordinator for the city of Dearborn.Source: David Norwood, sustainability coordinator for the city of DearbornWriter: Jon Zemke

Retail 3 opens doors in Troy with 52 new jobs

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Arts and Culture

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March 11, 2010

Troy-based Retail 3 has three focuses when it comes to building businesses – retail strategy, retail activation, and retail metrics. It's where the new advertising firm's name comes from."It's the best time to start a company like this," says Harold Kobakof, president of Retail 3. "Retail has never been tougher than it is right now and every dollar needs to be maximized."The new company has a staff of 52, many of whom come from BBDO Worldwide, the former ad house for Chrysler. It hopes to grow its staff as the company establishes itself as a national advertising firm.Retail 3 uses a proprietary system to analyze the productivity of every marketing effort. The idea is to identify what drives traffic and advertising and how to best maximize the profit potential each represents."We make a connection between the message, the medium and the sale," says Kobakof.Source: Harold Kobakof, president of Retail 3Writer: Jon Zemke

Another downtown Ferndale building slated for renovation

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Arts and Culture

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March 11, 2010

Roger and Sergio Basmajian believe in urban development, and it's why they're focusing the efforts of their company, Basco of Michigan, on it."We're looking in the urban neighborhoods and walkable communities and seeing what's possible," Roger Basmajian says. "That's where we see the future, especially with young people."The latest project for the company is the redevelopment of a two-story building in downtown Ferndale. The brothers are renovating the interior for retail and breathing some more life into the façade of 320 W 9 Mile Road. That work will include repairing the brick and redoing the metal awning."It's very art deco-ish," Roger Basmajian says.They plan to get started on the 7,800-square-foot building by the end of this month. Work should be done within two months. They hope to have a restaurant in the ground floor space by the end of the year.Basco of Michigan has redeveloped a handful of properties in the Ferndale and Royal Oak area. It's a partnership between the Basmajian brothers and their father George Basmajian, who is a silent partner.Source: Roger Basmajian, co-owner of Basco of MichiganWriter: Jon Zemke

North American Bancard uses interns to fill future jobs

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Arts and Culture

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March 11, 2010

North American Bancard isn't looking to only hire members of Metro Detroit's existing work force, it wants to create its own, too. The Troy-based firm is turning its internship program into a talent pool from which it is beginning to draw heavily. The company is looking to fill out a dozen internships this year, including a couple for web development and nearly half a dozen for php application development. More information on those internships here."We've had really good success with our interns," says Deb Fonseca, corporate recruiter for North American Bancard. "We either hire them or extend the internship for another 12 weeks."The electronic payment company currently employs 325 people in Troy. It expects to hire 60 more this year as part of a plan to create 1,500 new jobs over the next decade. A sizeable portion of those new hires will come from the firm's internship program, which is expected to expand rapidly over the next few years."We're growing incredibly fast," Fonseca says. "This is a great environment for interns."North American Bancard, founded in 1992, creates the hardware and software shoppers use to swipe debit and credit cards. The Michigan Economic Development Corp recently gave the company a $21.5 million tax credit over 12 years so it would focus its expansion efforts in Metro Detroit.Source: Deb Fonseca, corporate recruiter for North American BancardWriter: Jon Zemke

Streetcar USA building to become Royal Oak bistro

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Arts and Culture

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March 11, 2010

The home of Streetcar USA is about to become a space for a new restaurant in downtown Royal Oak.The specialty auto-technology firm is moving to new office space in Southfield so the owner, Michael Chetcuti, who is also principal of Streetcar USA, can open the space up to a full-service bistro within the next 6-8 months."The dramatic proportions of the space lends itself to a restaurant or entertainment venue," Chetcuti says. "We have rented it out so many times to bridal showers and parties over the last three years." That's how long ago Chetcuti saved what was often considered an obsolete building. He put his automotive firm on the main floor and his wine shop in the basement. Before that it had been a vacant structure on Main Street just south of the railroad tracks.The 4,000-square-foot St. Clair Edison building, 711 S. Main St, is 104 years old, making it one of Royal Oak's oldest. It originally served as a power generating plant for streetcars, and later as a warehouse.Source: Michael Chetcuti, principal of Streetcar USAWriter: Jon Zemke

Royal Oak studio putting comic book on the tube

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Arts and Culture

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March 11, 2010

The Royal Oak-based production firm PixoFactor is taking Dare Comics' acclaimed comic The Hunter from the pages and putting it on the tube, DVDs, and making an interactive downloadable game. All in a days work, eh?Excerpt:England's Dare Comics has announced that its critically acclaimed comic, The Hunter, is to be produced as a nine episode motion comic series by the Royal Oak production company PixoFactor. PixoFactor is also developing a downloadable interactive game based on The Hunter, which will be released alongside the motion comic. Details of the game aren't being publicly released, but PixoFactor president Sean Hurwitz said that "The Hunter has a unique set of powers that have enabled us to incorporate some stunning gameplay. Linking the game to the motion comic series is going to allow us to do things the world has never seen before."Read the entire article here.

Berkley named one of the most affordable suburbs in the nation

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Arts and Culture

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March 11, 2010

Driven through Berkley recently? No? Well Business Week has, and deems it one of the most affordable suburbs in the nation.Excerpt:This tree-lined neighborhood has several parks and a well-regarded school district—Newsweek ranked Berkley High School one of the best in the state a few years ago. Even with a high unemployment rate, activities for both adults and children are organized by local community groups and businesses, such as sports leagues, yoga classes, and ice skating lessons. The downtown area was revitalized in 2002 with bricked crosswalks, new sidewalks, and benches.Read the entire article here.